COAS Raheel Sharif remembers Kashmir in Defence Day speech

RAWALPINDI: Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Raheel Sharif on Tuesday said that Kashmir is Pakistan’s jugular vein and the country will continue its moral and diplomatic support for the people of Kashmir, ARY News reported.

In his speech after defence day ceremony at Rawalpindi’s General Headquarters, COAS Sharif said that people of Kashmir are being subjected to worst form of state terrorism and Pakistan is not oblivious to the fact.

“The true solution for this struggle for self-determination resides not in raining bullets upon the defenceless Kashmiri people but in heeding to their voice and respecting their aspirations. Kashmir issue can only be resolved by implementing the UN Resolutions,” said Raheel Sharif.

General Raheel Sharif also repeated the army’s resolve to fight terrorism at all levels and claimed that the country’s anti-terror operation, Zarb-e-Azb’s objectives are achieved.

He reminded the audience that atleast 18000 civilians and 5000 soldiers laid down their lives in Pakistan’s fight against terror and today no area of Pakistan is deprived of country’s flag.

“I hereby tell all the country’s enemies that Pakistan is invincible”

The army chief, however, also mentioned that the internal and external threats have not ended and the country’s forces are aware of the fact.

“The only hurdle to lasting peace in the country is the nexus of crime of corruption,” Raheel Sharif said, laying stress upon the implementation of the National Action Plan (NAP) in letter and in spirit.

Conspiracies against CPEC will be foiled

Terming the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) a “fate changer for the whole region”, the COAS warned the country’s enemies that the projects related to the corridor will be completed at all costs and the conspiracies against it will be foiled.

“Timely completion of the CPEC project is our responsibility and and we will deal with its enemies with an iron fist,” said the COAS.

“For a lasting peace, it is necessary to ensure country-wide implementation of National Action Plan”

Peace in Afghanistan

About regional peace, the COAS said that Pakistan is sincerely playing its active role for peace in Afghanistan.

“But some self-seeking quarters that are definitely not sincere towards Afghanistan, are obstructing these efforts. I bear upon such elements that Afghanistan is our neighbour and brother Islamic country. Peace and stability there is vital to Pakistan’s own interest,” said Raheel Sharif.

Saluting the martyrs

In the end, the army chief saluted “the innocent children of Army Public School (APS), the youthful students of Bacha Khan University (BKU), Balochistan’s lawyers, martyrs of the nation, valiant men of the armed forces, intelligence agencies, Rangers, Police, and Levies” whose lives were laid in the defence of the country.

“On behalf of my entire nation, I want to impress upon the enemies of peace and humanity that if we can win, we also know how to protect our victory”